


Overwhelmed

by nefarious_irusu



Series: One-Word Prompts [7]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Anxiety Disorder, Anxious Katsuki Yuuri, Enemies to Friends, Friendship, Gen, One Shot, One Word Prompts, Panic, Panic Attacks, Random & Short, Short, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 12:25:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15751632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nefarious_irusu/pseuds/nefarious_irusu
Summary: Breathe; you just have to breathe.





	Overwhelmed

“That jump sucked! Get it together, Pig!”

The words usually didn't bother him. He knew they were spoken half-heartedly, and that Yuri didn't mean to be cruel with them. But today, Viktor wasn't at their shared rink in Russia. Today, Yuuri was barely able to pull himself out of bed. And the words stung deep in his core.

“Katsudon?”

He hadn't realized he was still standing at the edge of the rink and gripping the barrier until he heard Yuri's voice once more, softer and closer than before.

“It's too much today.”

He, himself, wasn't sure whether he meant the words alone, or everything that seemed to be weighing down his frame.

“Viktor will be back tomorrow,” Yuri mumbled, propping his elbows up on the rink barrier as he joined Yuuri.

Yuuri shook his head, bowing his head as tears brimmed in his eyes. “It isn't just that,” he whispered. He clutched the plastic edge tighter, trying to fight off his own labored breathing. “I need to take a break,” he managed to croak out before letting go, swiftly moving to the edge of the ice.

“Katsuki!” Yakov barked after him, “I didn't call for a break yet!”

Yuuri ignored Yakov’s gruff voice, pulling on his skate guards as his lip trembled. His chest was caving- he felt like his entire frame was going to crumble along with it. He barely made it to the locker room before he began gasping for air, falling to the floor and pushing his head between his knees.

_Breathe; you just have to breathe._

Yuuri could hear nothing over his own rapid breathing and his heartbeat pounding inside his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut, whimpering as hot tears trailed onto the bridge of his nose before dripping down and off the tip. He gasped wetly as he felt hands on his shoulders, jolting him upright in an instant.

“Y-Yurio,” he stuttered out, trembling under the teenager's steady gaze. 

“Are you sick? Do you want me to get Yakov or call Vik-"

“No!” Yuuri cut him off, voice cracking. “Don’t-don’t get a-any… anyone, please.”

“But you can't breathe,” Yuri murmured, his face and touch both softening.

Yuuri shook his head, trying his best to slow his breathing. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten Yuri, or scar him with his meltdown. He desperately tried to fight off his body's treachery, but still ended up spilling more tears onto his cheeks. “I'm not sick,” he whispered.

Yuri's hands dropped to Yuuri's biceps, softly rubbing through the fabric of his sweatshirt. “Are you having a panic attack or something?”

Yuuri nodded, keeping his eyes pointed at the floor and waiting to be called weak, as he had been that day Yuri found him crying in the bathroom at the Grand Prix Final. “Im sorry,” he croaked. But instead of disgust, he felt spindly arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling him forward. He breathed in the citrusy smell of Yuri's shirt, his hands coming up to clutch it.

“Shut up,” Yuri whispered without any bite.

“I don't know why this is happening,” Yuuri sobbed, surely getting the front of Yuri's shirt soaked with his tears.

“Can I do anything to help?”

Yuuri shook his head, grateful that Yuri was trying to help, even if his body was stiff and clearly unsure. “Just please don't leave.”

“I won't,” Yuri assured him. “I won't leave until it's over.”

Yuuri clung to Yuri like a vice, trying his best to even out his breaths. His chest was freezing and burning at the same time, the strangest mix of fire and ice at his core. He trembled, every inch of his skin vibrating. Yuri's arms reached around him, holding him even tighter as he fought through the waves rolling in his chest and stomach.

His brain was short-circuiting, every thought racing. He tried to quiet his mind and simultaneously level his breathing, but succeeded in neither feat. He gasped wetly into Yuri's shirt, struggling to take in more than a sharp, shallow breath. Yuri's hands began rubbing circles onto Yuuri's back. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as his vision began to cave in.

“Th-thank… thank you… for not leaving,” he gasped. He dared not open his eyes, for fear of seeing more tunnel vision.

“Was it my fault?” Yuri asked softly, ignoring the thanks.

Yuuri shook his head near-violently, assuring him, “no, it's been building up since this morning.”

“Because Viktor isn't here?”

Yuuri shook his head again, starting to calm down the slightest bit. “No,” he whispered, “it happens when Viktor is with me, too.”

Yuri nodded, pulling away from Yuuri the slightest bit. He still kept his arms around him, but loosened his hold. “Why does it happen?”

Yuuri rested his head on Yuri's shoulder easily, exhausted from the ordeal. “Sometimes something will trigger it, but a lot of the time it just happens. It's been happening since I was a young child.”

Yuri hummed in response, making no move to push Yuuri from his shoulder or end the embrace. “I didn't mean to mess with you when you were already having a bad day,” he whispered.

Sensing that it was Yuri's way of apologizing, Yuuri replied, “it wasn't your fault. You didn't know.” Then, quieter: “It's okay.”

Yuri hummed again, resting his head on Yuuri's. They stayed like that for a while, the only sound being their slow breathing. Yuuri relished in this new side of Yuri, grateful to feel safe around him even if he was panicked.

“I'm glad we're friends, Yuri.” He barely managed to stop himself from using the nickname that Yuri hated.

Yuri sighed softly. “Me too.”


End file.
